Question

Which sentence below places modifiers correctly?


By pushing as hard as he can, the wooden puzzle piece of South America is stuck into Africa’s spot.


Cold and alone at the bottom of the world, Marcia wondered if Antarctica ever felt lonely.


Satoko wished she’d been alive three hundred million years ago, when all the land formed a single supercontinent, so she could travel to everywhere on her bicycle.


Since they are stuck together, Timmy asks his teacher why Europe and Asia are separate continents.

Answer 1

Sentence 3.

Explanation: its modifying clauses are attached to the correct words (the time clause immediately follows "three hundred million years ago" and the purpose clause refers to Satoko's wish).

Notes on the others:
- 1 has a dangling participle: "By pushing as hard as he can" should modify a person, not "the wooden puzzle piece." Fix: "By pushing as hard as he could, he stuck the wooden South America puzzle piece into Africa’s spot."
- 2 is ambiguous/dangling if the writer meant Antarctica to be "cold and alone." If the modifier is meant for Marcia it's fine; if meant for Antarctica rewrite: "Cold and alone at the bottom of the world, Antarctica must feel lonely, Marcia wondered."
- 4 has a dangling modifier ("Since they are stuck together" appears to modify Timmy). Fix: "Since Europe and Asia are stuck together, Timmy asks his teacher why they are separate continents."

Also, stylistic tweak for 3: say "travel everywhere by bicycle" instead of "travel to everywhere on her bicycle."